Title: People Preparing for Christmas
Contents
3rd week of December
people preparing for christmas
Luke 1:26-31
If you look at the time when Jesus was born 2000 years ago, King Herod and all Jerusalem heard of the birth of Jesus and were in turmoil. (Matthew 2:2-6) Many people knew the coming of the Messiah, the birth of Jesus, but they actually believed in Him and met Him. There are few people. Even if we look at this case, we can see that there is a difference between ‘knowing’ and ‘believing’. Even the innkeepers were so busy making money that they did not know that Jesus was born there. If this was 2000 years ago, will we be able to meet Jesus 2000 years from now?
Today we are going to look at those who are preparing for the birth of Jesus. The first is Joseph, the father of Jesus. I hope that the male members of our church will also have a deeper faith like this Joseph. Joseph meets an angel in a dream. Like Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, we cannot even meet face to face. Zacharias was a priest, but Joseph was a carpenter. However, Zacharias did not believe the angel's words and distrusted them, and was unable to speak until the birth of John the Baptist. However, it was Joseph who heard the words of the angel who appeared in the dream and immediately believed and acted. (Matthew 1:24) He does not think about this or that. You want to focus on his faith, which he immediately obeys. These days, I miss people of faith like this Joseph. I hope that there will be more people like Joseph in Saesarang Church.
Second, we want to see Mary's active faith. Being pregnant with a virgin was something that deserved to be divorced or abandoned by the family. But Mary replies, “According to your word it may be done to me.” This was a life-giving dedication and obedience. Did Mary understand the conception of the Messiah? You probably didn't understand. However, in her obedience to God's word, Mary's faith in God can be seen. It's Christmas soon. Shout “Merry Christmas!” to those who do not know or reject Jesus. May the glory of the Lord and the name of the Lord be called upon the world. And with the good news of Christmas, I pray that the will of the Lord be done in our church and in our families.
Third were the shepherds. Ordinary people, neither glamorous nor powerful, saw Jesus. To the faithful ones who kept the sheep, God revealed the birth of the baby Jesus. Sweaty and conscientious people, our fathers and mothers, our respective businesses, and those who do their best in their offices, will come to Jesus.
Finally, the Magi. It takes more than ten days to come from the East to the place where Jesus is. On the way, you will pass through deserts, rivers and places of ferocious animals. But they come prepared to meet the Messiah. ‘Gold’ symbolizes the king, ‘Sulfur’ means humanity, and ‘Myrrh’ means divinity. Doctors prepared the best gift for Baby Jesus! We want our hearts to be the same as those of the Magi as we welcome Christmas. I hope that it will be the best Christmas I can give to the Lord with the most precious thing I have.
Christianity is a religion of waiting. Many years have passed since Genesis 3:15, but the most important thing is that not many people have met Jesus. How will you welcome Christmas? I hope that you will be prepared to welcome Christmas with Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds and wise men with a clear mind. And I pray that it will be a Christmas that welcomes the birth of Jesus with joy.